our little stories

Kristina:

I really like the idea of cooperation and interaction with locals during the trip. This year we didn’t manage to focus enough on this aspect and we didn’t have enough time or opportunities to cross borders of our group and spread the spirit of the project around. But not only based on my experiences it is worthy to try (one point for Cycling 2014). Beside all the lovely people who supported our crazy group by smiles and happy faces when watching us cycling around, I have got two stories of highly generous behaviour of random people:

First one happened in Sroda Wielkopolska, with Peter and Bassia we were on our way back from city centre to camp when we saw next to the cycling road some cherry trees with juicy red cherries. Of course we stopped and got some cherries but suddenly we realised that owner was sitting with relatives on the garden having barbecue. Well, we picked some more and were on to leave when a lady from the garden came and asked us in polish if we would want more. We did that we didn’t understand and just stood and looked guiltily. After a while her daughter came and gave us whole basket of even more tasty and good-looking cherries!! I remember that I felt deeply happy and peace, wanted to shout the amazing message that the people are good, we don’t need to worry about our future because the world is changing.

Second story happened next day when with one half of the group (those who were able to wake up with sun rise) we arrived to Lodz and after successful group decision round we went to visit the city. Bassia took us on a place which used to be a factory and now is a kind of spot for people similar to us:-D With a stroke of luck there was an organic foodie market with local products. With Beata and Kallu we met at one cake’s seller and decided to buy two pieces together. The seller let us taste some but what was our surprise when he asked instead of a certain amount of zloty to get a coin of our national currencies: Czech and Brazil! So we did and then we shared these two pieces together at one table with others.

Bianca:

My magical moment??

For sure when we arrived at “Kulturmühle Lietzen” after a small odyssey through a forrest. The place was surrounded by two lakes where we immediately jumped in. In the background was music because there was a festival on that day. Later we danced all together to Balkan music in the garden.. it was an amazing atmosphere! Even so it was a short night everyone was excited to go on cycling the next day, especially after the awesome waffle breakfast they made for us..

Arek:

This experience, for me, has nothing to do with preassumptions and axioms. We did not create the idea. We have just lived through very concept of life. This is the testimony of beauty of this world in its simple, fundamental and clear way. And I strongly believe it might last.

Though, it won’t be easy to keep the spirit, make a difference anytime anywhere, just remember what you have done, hold it with yourself and keep going on!

Stay up to date!

About

Cycling Alternatives * NEOLUTION is a transeuropean mobile seminar on bikes – this year there will be 3 bike tours focused on the topics of PERMACULTURE, DEGROWTH and SELF-ORGANISATION.
In August 2014 we will visit projects and initatives concerned with these topics to learn from them, take part in theoretical and practical workshops, learn from each other and our surroundings and practise communal decision-making and self-organisation along the way. The 3 tours will simultaneously cycle towards the same place near Karlovy Vary in Czech Republic, to meet there from 13th to 17th of August and exchange their experiences.